The Magic of Wassailia
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Sofia and her family, along with Cedric, Cordelia, Calista, and Baileywick, travel to Avalor to spend time with Elena and her family for Wassailia. Even though Avalor celebrates Navidad instead, the two groups find a happy medium and realize that the message is all the same: hope and love prevail. (Chapters posted throughout Christmas Eve/Day ;) )
1. Here We Come A-Wassailing

The Magic of Wassailia

Summary: Sofia and her family, along with Cedric, Cordelia, Calista, and Baileywick, travel to Avalor to spend time with Elena and her family for Wassailia. Even though Avalor celebrates Navidad instead, the two groups find a happy medium and realize that the message is all the same: hope and love prevail.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: We're finally here! First of all, as we're in the STF world, allow me to say to you all, "Happy Wassailia Eve!" Haha. Whatever you celebrate, I hope you have a great holiday season. Okay! So here's the first chapter of the story. Keep an eye out, and you'll see the others coming out pretty soon. I'm trying to get all of the chapters out today (and maybe tomorrow as well). 😉 After this story is fully posted, that's it until next year. Hope you enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 1: Here We Come A-Wassailing

The feeling of Wassailia was in the air for all Enchancians. The cold was biting enough to help people realize that it was, indeed, winter; however, it was a welcome addition since with the cold came the snow. Snow turned even the most "grown-up" adults into little children again. But I digress…

It was early morning on the Eve of Wassailia when a group of travelers trudged out into that biting cold, each wearing the heaviest of winter clothing in order to stave off the chill.

"Are we all here?" Roland asked as luggage was being hauled into a few closed-in flying coaches due to the winter weather. He did a headcount, realizing all members of his family as well as Baileywick, Cedric, Cordelia, and Calista were present. He noted, with amusement, that even Cedric's raven (which wasn't entirely surprising, as the sorcerer and his companion seemed to do everything together) and Sofia's bunny friend had made an appearance. "Sofia, is your rabbit friend also going?"

Sofia held Clover protectively and offered the king something akin to a pout. "Dad, please… I can't just leave Clover here on Wassailia. He would be lonely."

"It's fine. Just make sure you keep an eye on him. We wouldn't want to leave him behind in Avalor or anything."

Clover's eyes widened as he clung tighter to the princess. "Yeah, no kidding!" he whispered frantically to his friend.

Sofia giggled. "I'll take care of him, Dad."

"Excellent. Now, how about we do this?" He held one hand to his chin in thought as he glanced toward the coaches. "We have four flying coaches, so we could split into groups. I say let's have the kids ride in one coach; Miranda and I will take one; and Baileywick, Cedric, and Cordelia can have the third one. The last one can be for the luggage and presents."

"Of _course_ he'd opt for his own private coach," Wormwood sneered to Cedric, who hid a smirk as he waved the raven away from his ear.

"Quiet, Wormy," Cedric whispered as the workers began piling luggage and gifts into the last coach. "It could be worse."

"You're right. We could have been stuck _with_ King Roland the entire journey there." The raven visibly shuddered, and Cedric again held back a laugh.

"Ceddy, do be a dear and try not to snore if you fall asleep this time," Cordelia teased as she climbed into the coach, Baileywick following her. She poked her head out. "Last time I caught you snoozing away, your snoring could have woken the entire kingdom!" She grinned and ducked inside.

"Ooh, that Cordelia," Cedric groaned with a blush. "She's always trying to embarrass me."

"Try having a twin," James remarked with a grin. "It's ten times worse."

" _Thanks_ , Prince James. I feel so much better now." Cedric sighed and shook his head as he got into the coach with his sister and fellow worker.

The royal kids and Calista clambered into their own coach as Roland helped Miranda into theirs before following after her. He leaned out the window and called to his driver, "Onward to Avalor! Make sure all the coaches stay together."

"Yes, King Roland," the man responded as the coaches took off into the air.

* * *

About an hour into travel, James yawned loudly, causing Amber to roll her eyes and nudge him. "I'm so _bored_ ," the prince complained. "At least on the Royal Galley, we could move around or sing lively and improvised songs."

Sofia giggled at her brother's words. "But flying coach is faster, James. And Avalor is so far away, as you know. It would take days by galley, and we'd miss all the festivities."

"Speaking of which," Calista spoke up with a curious frown on her features, "does Avalor celebrate Wassailia?"

"Actually," Amber began, "I think they celebrate Navidad or something like that. But from what I understand, it's very similar. They have a tree and gifts, and it takes place around the same time of the year. And it's all about being together with friends and family."

"So essentially it _is_ the same," the little girl surmised, "just with a different title?"

"Yeah," Sofia responded with a nod. "They do things the Avaloran way, and we do things the Enchancian way."

James shrugged. "Hey, as long as they have sweets, I'm good." He grinned at his sisters. "Of course, we brought our own too! Chef Andre's stardust cookies, remember?"

"I believe Mummy and Uncle Ceddy also brought some gingerbread and fly cakes." Calista giggled. "Those poor adults… They have no idea what they're up against when we are fed all that sugar."

"Yes, let's try not to have another Hyper-James episode," Amber requested as she folded her arms and gave her twin a pointed stare. "Limit your cookies this time."

"Aw, Amber, I'll be fine." He grinned. "Besides, I'm more excited to see who we got for our gift exchange partners and what they got for us!"

"Who _did_ you guys get anyway?" Sofia wondered.

Amber smiled thoughtfully. "I got Naomi, actually. The note sent said she's a close friend of Princess Elena's, and she likes the simpler things in life. She grew up in a family on the docks or the ocean or whatever it said…" She shrugged. "But I think my gift will bring out her inner princess. Because _all_ girls have that side to them, even if they don't want to admit it." She smiled proudly.

James rolled his eyes. "Mine was a bit easier." He grinned. "I got Baileywick! _And_ I thought of his gift all on my own. I think he'll like it. But then again, even if he doesn't, he's too polite to say so anyway, so…" The prince shrugged. "I don't know. I'm pretty sure he'll enjoy what I got for him."

Sofia smiled and looked toward Calista. "Who did you get, Calista?"

"I think his name is Gabriel, but everyone calls him Gabe?" She nodded as if assuring herself. "Yes, my note said he's Princess Elena's Head of the Royal Guard, and he's rather young. He is constantly helping to aid the royal family and defend the kingdom." She shrugged. "I didn't have too terribly much to go on, but with Mummy's help, I think I've designed a gift he will enjoy." She grinned. "And one that might make Uncle Ceddy jealous. In fact, perhaps I should get him the same gift for his birthday next month." She laughed.

"Sof? Who'd you get?" James reclined back in his seat and slouched down a bit, causing Amber to sigh in annoyance.

"Mateo, the wizard who helped me free Elena."

"What _is_ it with you and magical people?" Amber laughed.

Sofia grinned. "You're not the first person to ask me that," she stated, thinking about her conversation with Clover a few days ago. "I don't know. Mateo is pretty easy to create a gift for. In fact, I'm really proud of the way it turned out."

"Shall we play a game?" Calista suggested as she perked up. "Perhaps we could play 'I Spy?' Or maybe 'What Am I?'"

"Oh, let's do that game," Amber suggested. "I like games like that."

And so with that, the four children began a game.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another flying coach…

"How did _we_ end up with the animals?" Cordelia asked with a small chuckle as Wormwood and Clover looked up at her from their spot on the seat next to the steward. "Isn't that Sofia's little rabbit friend?"

"Yes," Cedric responded with a yawn. "I suppose there wasn't enough room in their coach? He's perfectly fine here, Cordelia."

"Wow, never thought I'd see the day the sorcerer would stick up for little ol' me," Clover snickered as he turned to Wormwood. "Guess my natural charm finally grew on him, huh?"

"That, or he tolerates you simply because of Sofia," Wormwood responded honestly, keeping his voice low so the others wouldn't hear him. He both praised and cursed his new ability to be understood; if only certain people could understand him… He really didn't want to explain his sudden talking to Baileywick, for example.

"Nah. It's gotta be my awesomeness." He frowned toward the raven. "You're being awfully quiet." He then realized what was going on…and grinned. "That's right. _Anyone_ can understand you now, huh? Sofia told me about that potion that fell on you earlier this year. So now you and Cedric can talk, but… Ooh, hold up!" He smirked. "Even _Baileywick_ could understand you, couldn't he?"

The raven shot him a glare and hissed as quietly as he could, "Don't…you…dare."

Clover appeased the flustered bird and rolled his eyes. "Eh, you're no fun, Wormy. Such a stick in the mud sometimes." He glanced toward his stomach as it rumbled. "Man, I hope this trip to Avalor is fast. I'm starving!"

Wormwood sighed. This was going to be a _long_ flight…

Baileywick smiled cordially toward the siblings before him. "I must say, it's nice to see you two getting along better…minus the 'snoring' quip earlier."

Cedric frowned and folded his arms. "I _don't_ snore."

"Oh?" the woman asked with a grin. "You can hear yourself while you're sleeping? Fascinating!"

The sorcerer glanced back at the steward. "What was that you were saying about our 'getting along,' Baileywick?"

The older man rolled his eyes. "Forget I said anything."

* * *

"Rollie," Miranda murmured as she gestured out the window. "Do you see how hard the snow is falling out there?" She glanced toward him. "I didn't have the heart to tell the kids that it rarely snows in Avalor…"

Roland just smiled and took her hand, placing a kiss on the back of it. "Don't worry, Miranda. It'll be all right. Regardless, it will still be a fantastic Wassailia…and Navidad, I suppose."

She sighed before smiling at her husband. "Yeah, maybe we'll get lucky. I mean, we've had Wassailia miracles before… We're due for a Navidad miracle, right?"

He laughed. "Well, our land is enchanted… Theirs…is ruled by a girl who used to live in Sofia's necklace—okay, I see your point."

She grinned and leaned against him. "Guess we'll see."

* * *

Another while more of soaring through the air, the weather conditions altering drastically from snowy to simply cloudy, and the Enchancian group arrived in Avalor just as dusk had begun. The four coaches landed sequentially, the drivers of each alerting the occupants of their whereabouts.

"So this is Avalor," Cordelia commented as everyone gathered together. She wrinkled her nose as she made a very quick discovery. "I suppose all those winter clothes I packed will be useless here." With that, she peeled off her gloves and long cloak, passing them off to the unsuspecting driver. "Please see to it that these get into my luggage, Lars."

The man blinked. "Um… My name is Carlisle, madam."

She grinned. "Yes, yes, of course." She grabbed Calista's hand and tugged her forward. "Come along, Calista."

The drivers secured the luggage while the group assembled outside the gates to the castle.

"Anyone have a key?" James asked playfully.

"That would be me." A tall, darker complexioned man with slick black/graying hair and a thin mustache approached them, his dark eyes serious as always as he straightened his outfit. "Welcome back to Avalor, royal family. For those of you who are unaware, my name is Chancellor Estéban." He smiled at last. "We have been waiting for you. Please, follow me."

To be continued…


	2. Mix and Match

The Magic of Wassailia

Summary: Sofia and her family, along with Cedric, Cordelia, Calista, and Baileywick, travel to Avalor to spend time with Elena and her family for Wassailia. Even though Avalor celebrates Navidad instead, the two groups find a happy medium and realize that the message is all the same: hope and love prevail.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: Chapter 2 coming your way! 😊 This chapter will be a bit shorter and more of a set-up for the rest of the story, but the upcoming stuff will more than make up for it. Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 2: Mix and Match

"Wow," Calista gasped as she and the others followed Estéban into the palace. "This place is _huge_ , Mummy!"

"And lovely at that," Cordelia added with a nod. "The architecture is simply exquisite, Chancellor."

Estéban chuckled and glanced toward the sorceress. "We thank you, _Se_ _ñ_ _ora_. Avalor is steeped in tradition and history, so we like that the palace can reflect that of its own accord."

"Where is Elena, Mr. Estéban?" Sofia asked curiously as he turned to her next.

"Ah, she is with everyone else, seeing to it that all the gifts are beneath the _Árbol de Navidad_."

"Yeah, so we've been meaning to ask," James started, "we have Wassailia in Enchancia. What's Navidad like anyway?"

The man pondered as they continued on their way. "Hmm, well, let's see how I can explain it. Navidad occurs tomorrow, as you are aware, I'm certain. There are multiple ways to celebrate the day, because most families do have their own traditions and such. Here in the palace this year, we are conducting the secret gift exchange, as you are all aware. It is family tradition to create piñatas, as well… Oh, my _Abuelo_ , Francisco, has taken care of musical entertainment. My _Abuela_ , Luisa, oversaw all the food preparations, so I hope you are ready for some Avaloran treats."

"Hey, treats of any kind are awesome," James laughed.

"Hmm. Well, we also have some time of reflection on the year, and of course there may be some other activities Elena has prepared of which I am unaware, which would not surprise me." He rolled his eyes. "My cousin is a wonderful person, but forthcoming she is not sometimes. She has her own way of doing things…"

Sofia smiled at that mention. She recalled meeting Elena the first time, when she immediately sought to go after Shuriki despite not having a foolproof plan. Elena certainly did like to do things her own way, so it would be interesting to see what all she had in mind.

"And what of your Wassailia?" Estéban inquired, glancing at the king. "King Roland, what all do your subjects do for your own holiday?"

"Well, it's actually not so different from yours," Roland responded as Miranda took his hand and gently swung them back and forth. He smiled toward his wife before carrying on with his explanation. "We have our own Wassailia tree and put gifts beneath it. We have the candle we light each year. Sofia and Baileywick began a new tradition with ice lilies—well, actually, it's a combination of a 'tradition' and something that used to be abundant in the kingdom." He chuckled.

Sofia and Baileywick exchanged smiles, remembering the occasion from a couple of years ago. The ice lilies just added so much more to the castle.

"We decorate, sing carols, and spend time together…"

Estéban smiled and nodded. "As you will see, we are not so different, it seems."

The group continued along, admiring all the decorations of red and green scattered throughout the palace. Eventually, they arrived in the ballroom, which was elegantly decorated in elaborate colors reflective of the season. Strings of garland spanned the entire room, and wreaths were hung in each window. A grand tree stood at the center, with numerous gifts already lining the base of the tree.

"Wow," Amber breathed in awe, her eyes shining at the sheer beauty of it all. "This is amazing!"

"The décor is simply stupendous," Baileywick added.

"I'm glad you think so!"

Everyone turned at the sound of Elena's voice. She was dressed in her usual red festive gown, hands on her hips and an amused smile on her face. Beside her stood her little sister Isabel, her own gown a rich blue color.

"I'm glad you all made it safely. I heard it was rough weather between Enchancia and here." She spotted Sofia amid the group and grinned, hurrying over and lifting the younger girl up into a spinning hug, reminiscent of their first meeting. "Sofia!"

The Enchancian princess giggled and returned the hug before being returned to her own footing. "It's great to see you, Elena. Where are the others?"

"Oh, Mateo is doing his gift exchange with his mother tonight since he'll be with us tomorrow. Same for Naomi. Gabe is finishing up his shift on the guard before he has to meet up with his parents. So, right now, it's just me and my family."

"That's perfectly fine," Miranda told her with a gentle smile. "It's nice that they get to have their family time as well as time with their friends for Wassail—I mean, Navidad." She laughed. "That will take some getting used to."

Isabel grinned. "It's all about the same anyway, right? Hey, Elena, it's kind of getting late. Are we going to eat any time soon?"

"Yes, Isa, but first I think we should get everyone to their rooms. I doubt they want to keep carrying their luggage all over the place."

"She's a smart one," Wormwood muttered to Cedric from his shoulder.

"You have no idea," Cedric murmured back, remembering the fact that _she_ was the one who had previously been in charge of Sofia's amulet. "Be good, Wormy."

"I'm perfectly pleasant right now. And I shall stay so, provided a certain hairball doesn't bother me." He glowered down at Clover, who was settled by Sofia's feet.

The sorcerer sighed and rolled his eyes. Leave it to Wormwood to find a foe in a rabbit.

"We have secured the rooms as such," Estéban announced to the Enchancian group. "King Roland and Queen Miranda have their own room. Their children have an apartment with two separate rooms. Ms. Cordelia and her daughter have their own room. And lastly we have…"

"Oh, this should be interesting," Baileywick remarked as he glanced toward Cedric. "We haven't been roommates since the fumigation incident years ago."

"The fumigation incident?" Sofia asked, glancing up at Cedric.

Cedric shook his head. "I'd rather not remember that… Suffice it to say, he ended up staying on a cot in my tower for two weeks. _That_ was…interesting."

"It was annoying," Wormwood corrected with a lowered voice. "Then again, your tower had never been so clean…nor will it ever be again, for that matter." He snickered.

"Well, it _is_ just for a few days," the steward stated with a short nod. "We'll make the best of it."

"You have bunkbeds," Estéban informed them.

"In that case, I call the bottom bunk," Baileywick told Cedric, who smirked.

"Too feeble to climb to the top, eh, Baileywick?"

"Watch it, or I'll hide the ladder when you're sleeping."

Roland laughed at the exchange, while Estéban just seemed uncomfortable. "Forgive them, Chancellor. This is rather normal."

"I see… Well, do follow me and we will get you all settled."

* * *

Once everyone had unpacked their luggage and gotten freshened up (Wormwood and Clover staying in their respective rooms for the time being), they met back in the dining hall for supper. It was impressive what just a few candles and strings of garland could bring to the table, so to speak. Several of each lined the center of the table, spanning to the end. The dining hall, like every other room in the palace, was decorated elegantly and beautifully, much to everyone's delight. It really _felt_ like Wassailia…or Navidad. There was just one thing that still nagged at the youngest princess…

"So, I guess you guys don't get much snow, huh?" Sofia asked as she ate some of her _posole_ , which Elena had previously recommended.

"Ay, I don't remember the last time we had snow," Luisa responded from the other side of the table. She tilted her head as if recalling. "Maybe…when the girls' parents had just gotten married? Oh, no, it snowed the year Isabel was born, actually. Then again, that snow didn't even stick." She chuckled. "Truly, Princess Sofia, I'm afraid Avalor is just too warm of an environment for snow."

"Oh, I see…"

Cedric noted his apprentice's sullen disposition as she pushed some of the food around on her plate. The one thing she'd indicated she'd like to have for the holiday season was snow, and now she was likely not going to get it… Granted, they had witnessed it before leaving Enchancia, but still…

"But don't worry, Sofia," Isabel enthused with a grin. "We may not have snow, but we still have the piñata we're going to create for tomorrow night. It will be fun! It can snow candy instead!"

Sofia laughed and nodded. "I think that could be fun!"

"Did they put the gifts we brought under the tree?" Cordelia asked, remembering one main event of the whole trip.

Francisco nodded as he drank some of his cider. "Yes, all of them are now safe and sound in the ballroom." He grinned and rubbed his hands together after setting down his glass. "I'm anxious to see what _my_ secret exchanger got for _me_!"

Luisa smiled and rolled her eyes. "You'll have to forgive my husband. He's like a child during Navidad."

Miranda glanced toward Roland, who was curiously poking at a dessert that wiggled…much like his beloved jiggly wiggly pudding. She smiled sarcastically toward the older woman. "I know the feeling."

"What time are we doing everything tomorrow?" Amber asked.

Elena decided to take over from there, pushing a pastry into Estéban's mouth to keep him from speaking. She grinned innocently as he shot her a look. "In the morning, we'll have breakfast here. My friends will be here around lunchtime, which my _Abuela_ has helped prepare. Armando, our Chief of the Castle, has organized the gift exchange, which will take place after supper. Between the mealtimes, we can spend time playing games and creating that piñata for tomorrow night. We can even tour Avalor and see the other Navidad activities if you'd like. Sound good?"

"Sounds brilliant!" James answered with a grin.

* * *

Soon after, it was time to retire for the evening. While everyone else was heading to bed, Cedric stopped Sofia in the hallway, placing a hand on her shoulder and drawing her attention.

She glanced up at her mentor with a sleepy smile. "Hi, Mr. Cedric."

"I'm sorry, Sofia, that there is little hope of snow here." He knew how much it had meant to her to see snow on Wassailia Day…

The princess laughed softly and hugged her friend. "Thanks for caring, Mr. Cedric." She glanced up at him as he returned the hug. "But snow or no snow, I'm just glad I'm with you guys for Wassailia."

"And Navidad," he added cheekily, causing her to giggle. He smiled as she stepped back and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'll see you in the morning, my dear. Sleep well."

She grinned. "You too, Mr. Cedric. Be nice to Baileywick."

He scoffed. "No promises, but I'll certainly try." He smiled and headed off toward his own room.

Sofia sighed and looked around at the beautiful surroundings once again, a soft smile lingering on her face. "Wassailia or Navidad…it doesn't matter here. The feeling is still the same." She laughed. "I can't wait for tomorrow." With that, she hurried off to her room she shared with her siblings as night fell upon the kingdom, the stars finally coming out to play.

To be continued…


	3. Switching It Up

The Magic of Wassailia

Summary: Sofia and her family, along with Cedric, Cordelia, Calista, and Baileywick, travel to Avalor to spend time with Elena and her family for Wassailia. Even though Avalor celebrates Navidad instead, the two groups find a happy medium and realize that the message is all the same: hope and love prevail.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: YAY! It's Wassailia/Navidad for the Enchancian/Avaloran groups! I may just go ahead and post ALL of the chapters today, as Christmas Day tends to be rather busy in my family. 😊 Enjoy this chapter, which is the big group gift exchange. There's one final chapter after this, which includes the anticipated Sofia and Cedric exchange. 😉 Haha. Oh, by the way, this chapter alone ended up being 18 pages in Microsoft Word, so there's a lot here. Lol! Have fun!

*Story*

Chapter 3: Switching It Up

The next morning, both groups awoke to a grand breakfast, including items such as goldenberry pancakes (thanks to a secret conversation Roland had with Elena a few weeks prior), sausages, omelets, and so forth. The spread was fantastic, and very much appreciated.

The royal children had on their Wassailia outfits for the year. Amber's dress was green with a yellow sash tied around her waist, and her tiara basically echoed the style. James also had on a green outfit with gold buttons lining his suit. Sofia's dress was a beautiful blend of her usual purple and light blue, though she wore her normal tiara and magical jewelry.

Calista had opted for a red dress with a black sash around the middle, which looked rather fetching, as Cordelia had described it. Speaking of Cordelia, she actually matched her brother that day with a long purple dress, though the accents were green and pink. Her hair was down, as usual, and brushed along her back with bouncing curls. Roland and Miranda wore matching maroon and gold outfits for the occasion, and Cedric and Baileywick dressed as they normally did.

As for the Avaloran group, while the grandparents and Estéban dressed in typical attire, Elena wore her gold Navidad dress and Isabel donned a new pastel blue dress fixated with light purple accents throughout.

All in all, everyone looked very seasonal and grand.

"What time are your friends supposed to arrive again?" Roland asked Elena as he watched the workers start to clear empty plates from the table.

"Around lunch," she responded. "So we have some time to do anything you guys would like."

Cedric blinked in realization. Downtime… That meant… He glanced across the table at his friend and subtly caught her attention. "Did you want to-?"

"Ooh!" Amber interjected, not even realizing Cedric was trying to speak. "Do you have any vendors selling jewelry?"

Elena laughed. "We normally would, Amber, but…it's Navidad. They're all home with their families today."

The blonde girl sighed. "Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot for a moment." She smiled sheepishly.

"We could gather for some music," Francisco suggested with a glimmer in his eye. "I have my guitar, and I could teach you all some traditional Avaloran tunes."

"Now that sounds like a wonderful idea," Miranda agreed with a smile. "Nothing beats good music with great company."

Francisco chuckled. "Oh, Queen Miranda, you flatter me."

Luisa rolled her eyes. "A basket of bread flatters _you_ , Francisco."

While everyone else was walking toward the ballroom with the Navidad tree and seating arrangements, Sofia pulled Cedric aside.

"Did you need me earlier?" she asked her friend.

Cedric blinked before looking between the girl and the party that had left them. "Ehh…" He knew if they just disappeared, the reception wouldn't be good. Especially if Roland realized they were gone… "Never mind. It can wait." Seeing her confused frown, he just smiled and gently laid one hand alongside her head. "Later, Sofia. I promise."

The princess returned his smile and nodded, hugging him.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Cedric's and Baileywick's room…

"This is so _boring_!" Wormwood complained as he lay flat against Cedric's pillow on the top bunk, his wings spread outward and his talons dangling in the air. "If I knew I'd be forced to stay confined in this room, I really would have just stayed at the castle. And I am barely allowed to speak for fear of all these other humans hearing me. Bah!"

"If you say 'humbug' next, I'm outta here."

The raven tilted his head backwards, seeing the upside-down form of Clover hopping toward him. "Hmm. There's something you don't see every day… A lopsided hopping bunny rabbit."

"Either you're hallucinating, or you need to flip over already." Clover opened a few drawers on the chests before him and used them as makeshift stairs to climb upward. He finally took one last hop and landed on the bed beside Wormwood. "What's shakin', Wormy?"

"Nothing is 'shaking,' fur ball. Except my head, of course, in pure disbelief that Cedric would just leave me here… _alone_ …on _Wassailia_!"

"You ain't alone! You've got me!" Clover grinned.

"…And that's supposed to brighten my day?" The raven dramatically collapsed onto the pillow again, this time his face buried in the pillow case.

"I'm sure we can figure out something to do around here." He grinned. "I'm almost sure I saw some people last night carrying freshly-picked veggies and berries into the kitchen." He smirked as Wormwood lifted his head slowly to stare at him. "And I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Considering his options, Wormwood finally smirked. "What are we waiting for then?" He flew upward and hovered in the air. "Lead the way."

* * *

Meanwhile, the two groups were in the ballroom enjoying some music. Before they knew it, a few hours passed by, and lunchtime was upon them. And not only that…

"Princess Elena," Armando called happily as he entered the room, "you have some guests!"

Elena grinned as she stood from her seat. "Hey, guys!"

Naomi, Gabe, and Mateo walked inside, each dressed in their normal attire, and sat among the groups.

"Oh, let me introduce everyone, just in case." Elena took the time to either introduce or reintroduce everyone. A few people had looks of realization on their faces, when they understood that certain names coincided with their secret gift receiver… "Everyone ready for lunch?"

"It feels like we _just_ ate," Miranda laughed.

"That's Navidad for you," Mateo joked with a grin. "All day long, it's eat, open gifts, eat some more, sing, and eat again."

Luisa hopped up and stretched. "I'd better go give a hand to the kitchen staff. My _tamales_ should be ready, but I want to check." With that, she left the room.

* * *

In the kitchen, Wormwood and Clover sat in a corner out of sight of the staff, each looking rather pleased with himself. Clover's eyes were half-lidded, and he wore a droopy smile on his face as his paw loosely held onto a carrot. Wormwood, on the other hand, had berry stains all over his beak and feathers, and he was apparently out of it.

"I've never tasted any berries that…berry-y," Wormwood remarked with a slight hiccup.

Clover snickered. "I think you ate too many too fast, Wormy. I've never seen anyone scarf down food that quickly!"

"Excuse me, but I did _not_ want to run the risk of someone catching us and chasing us with a broom." He yawned and pushed himself up. "Well, now, since we've had our fill, what do you suggest we do next?"

The rabbit grinned. "I challenge you to a game of Go Fish."

Wormwood smirked as he found his footing and stood up fully. "You're on." With that, he and Clover took off out of the kitchen just as Luisa entered to help with lunch.

* * *

The best part about lunch was the opportunity to enjoy good food and good conversation as well, especially since there were now more people to participate. Elena's friends blended in so well with the Enchancian group, and each had so much to contribute to the conversations going around.

"And you became the leader of the guard?" James asked in astonishment as he stared at Gabe in awe.

"Yeah! Just recently too." He smiled proudly.

"Awesome! Do you get to wear a suit of armor or anything?"

Gabe laughed. "No, nothing like that."

"Oh… Well, you shoot any cannons?"

Again, he laughed and shook his head. "Nothing like that, Prince James. Now a sword I use sometimes, though admittedly…cannons _are_ pretty cool."

The blonde boy grinned. "They're not just cool. They're brilliant!"

Amber rolled her eyes. "You'll have to forgive him. That's his favorite word. He uses it incessantly."

"Everyone," Armando announced with a happy smile. "First of all, let me wish you all either (or both) a Happy Navidad _and_ Happy Wassailia. Once you finish eating, please meet me in the ballroom so we can get our gift exchange underway. Afterward, we'll be creating piñatas for this evening!" His request spoken, he turned and rushed off to prepare for the event.

"I'm kind of nervous," Isabel confessed to Elena. "What if…the person we get doesn't like the gift we got them?"

The older princess smiled and brushed a hand through her sister's hair in her typical motherly way. "Don't stress over it, Isa. I'm sure whoever is getting a gift from you will appreciate it."

She sighed. "I sure hope so… I worked very hard on it, based on the information I was given about…that person."

"Hmm. It will be all right, Isabel. I promise." She winked and received a smile of appreciation from the younger girl.

* * *

A little while later, lunch finally ended, and everyone gathered in the ballroom per Armando's request.

"I think it's best if we do this in a sort of circle," the stout man suggested as he gestured toward the tree. "Everyone take a seat on the provided seating near the tree, and we'll get this started."

Estéban blinked in surprise, clearly impressed. "He's really gone all out for this."

"He spoke of little else for a month," Francisco chuckled. "You must hand it to Armando—you give him a task to do, and he does it with finesse."

Elena sat between Isabel and Mateo on a small sofa. Miranda and Roland snagged the one loveseat. Baileywick reclined comfortably in a lone armchair. Calista and Cordelia sat beside Cedric and Sofia on a longer sofa. James, Amber, Naomi, and Gabe sat on the next sofa. And lastly, Estéban, Luisa, and Francisco each enjoyed a solitary chair to themselves. In the center by the gathered gifts stood Armando, a scroll in his hand and a grin on his face. He was clearly excited about this.

"All right, here's how this works. I'm going to go down the list in no particular order. When I call your name, simply come find your gift and bring it back to your seat. Wait until all the names have been called, and then we'll start opening them. As you open your gift, you'll discover who your secret gift giver was."

"Ooh, I'm excited!" Amber gushed as she clasped her hands together. "I can't wait to see what I got!"

Cedric smiled thoughtfully to himself. He couldn't wait to see her reaction to his gift… Hopefully, she'd appreciate it… Surely, she would.

"Okay, here we go, starting with Queen Miranda!" Armando called off every name on the list, ending with Estéban, who hauled a rather heavy box back to his seat. In truth, he was rather surprised by the weight of the item. "Okay, everyone, let's begin the gift opening with…Mrs. Luisa! Once she discovers who her giver is, it will be that person's turn, and so on around the circle. Sound good?" Receiving nods, he grinned. "All right. Let's get started!"

Luisa opened her box and laughed as she withdrew the items within. "A 'Best Coach Ever' plaque and some bakery sweets… I know who _my_ secret partner is." She grinned as she waved toward Gabe. "Thank you, Gabe."

Gabe grinned as he pulled open his own gift. "You're welcome!" He tilted his head as he withdrew some very high quality black fingerless gloves. "Oh, these are cool!"

Calista smiled proudly before sliding down from her spot beside her mother and hurrying over to him. "May I show you a secret with them?"

The brown-haired guard smiled and nodded. "Were you my secret partner, then?"

She nodded happily. "Yes!" She grabbed his hands and turned them palm up. "These are magical gloves. Not only can they keep your hands warm and protected if need be, but they can also react in dangerous scenarios, thus protecting you. Watch." She pulled him to his feet and took an empty box from the floor, hurling it at Gabe.

Gabe yelped but gasped in surprise when his hands automatically blocked the box from attacking him, catching it in midair. "Whoa, neat!" He grinned down at Calista. "Thanks… Calista, right?"

She giggled. "That's me! I hope you like it, Gabe."

"I love the gloves! They'll definitely come in handy in my line of work."

She smiled and nodded before skipping back to her spot. She blinked as Cedric placed a wrapped package in her lap.

"Here is your gift, Calista," he told her as he pointed toward the name tag.

Cordelia leaned toward her daughter. "Go on then, darling. Let's see what you've got."

Calista nodded and untied the ribbon from the package, the paper falling away to reveal beautiful red slippers with small amethyst jewels on the top, each glistening in the surrounding light. She gasped. "They're lovely!" Looking around, she caught the queen's eye and smiled. "Did you get me these, Queen Miranda?"

Miranda nodded with a smile of her own. "I had them made with you in mind—red and everything, with a little hint of purple, of course."

The tiny sorceress laughed. "Thank you very much! I love them!"

The queen responded, "You're welcome. Enjoy them." Then she looked down at her own gift, which seemed to be in an elaborate bag twisted together with golden cords. "Now what on earth did _I_ get?"

Roland took one of the cords. "Only one way to find out." He whined when Miranda gently smacked his hand, causing him to release it. "Ow!"

"Oh, hush. It didn't hurt. But as this is my present, I need to open it myself." Seeing he was still pouting, she kissed his cheek. "Big baby."

Roland grinned. "Guilty."

Miranda untied her gift and made a sound of admiration as she pulled out a hand-designed vase with freshly cut flowers. "Wow, this is beautiful!"

Estéban nodded toward her as he caught her eye. "I am glad you like it. The vase is of Avaloran design, and the flowers within are apricot mallows, grown locally and plentifully, if I may say so."

"Thank you, Estéban. It's a wonderful gift."

He smiled. "You are welcome, Your Majesty." He then turned back to his own gift and looked at it with a scrutinizing stare. "Why is my gift so…heavy?" He heard a snicker and turned toward the culprit: Naomi. "Miss Turner, what on earth did you get for me?"

"Guess there's only one way to find out," she teased as she waved her hand in his direction. "Just open it. I promise it's not a prank or anything. In fact, I think you'll like it a lot."

Wary of the blonde girl's sometimes silly nature, he rolled his eyes and tore away the wrapping. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. Within the colorful wrapping lay a hand-carved clock in the shape of the palace. The details were incredible and finite, like nothing he had ever seen before. He gaped at the girl. "Naomi…?"

She grinned. " _Feliz Navidad_ , Estéban."

"Y-Yes, indeed…" He offered her a grateful smile before turning back to observe his new treasure. "How delightful!"

Naomi giggled at his reaction before opening her own gift. "Oh, wow!" She pulled out a gold tiara with shimmering jewels that happened to match each color of her dress. She could tell the quality was very good, so she knew she must have gotten one of the royals…

"I know you're not a princess or anything," Amber began from her spot beside her, surprising the older girl, "but I personally believe that every girl _needs_ a tiara." She smiled as Naomi gasped. "Besides, you work with Princess Elena, right? There are sure to be times you'll need to attend fancy balls, which require certain clothing."

Estéban smirked. "Been there, done that. And she's right, Miss Turner. As you've been attending more and more of those events, the tiara makes perfect sense for you now."

Naomi beamed at the young princess. "This is _the_ coolest thing ever. Thank you, Princess Amber."

Amber laughed. "Absolutely." She then tugged the paper from her own gift. "Tiaras bring out the 'princess' in everyone, I think." She grew a little quieter as she extracted a small item wrapped in a soft cloth. It felt cold through the fabric, though she wasn't certain what it could be. Gently, she unwrapped it and paused, staring at the beautiful gold bracelet that had an amber jewel dangling from it. "This… This looks like something Mommy used to wear…" She looked toward James, who nodded in agreement. "But who…?" She looked up and saw as Cedric smiled at her. "Cedric?"

"Do you like it?" he asked.

Amber stood and brushed the paper and box to the floor, walking over with the bracelet clutched in her hands. She stood before the sorcerer and handed it to him, much to his confusion. She smiled. "Will you put it on for me?"

Cedric sighed in relief before nodding and doing just that.

Miranda and Roland exchanged smiles before watching the scene again.

"Of all the people in the castle, I never thought _you_ would be the one to remember something so meaningful to me," Amber admitted as she smiled gratefully at the sorcerer.

"Your mother meant a great deal to all of us, Princess. It's the little things you don't forget." He gasped as she leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him where he sat. He chuckled and returned her hug.

"Thank you so much, Cedric."

"You're welcome." He smiled as she released him and walked back to sit beside James and Naomi again.

"That was really nice of you, Mr. Cedric," Sofia acknowledged happily.

"Well… I figured if she's my secret partner, I might as well make her gift the best I could possibly think of. To me, Sofia…it's the simplest of things that mean the most." With that, he picked up his gift bag and extracted what appeared to be a scroll. He tilted his head in curiosity before unrolling the scroll. His eyes widened as he read the content.

 _Dear Cedric,_

 _I truly couldn't think of a better Wassailia gift than to offer my sincerest apologies. We have not been anything akin to 'friends' even since our youth, and most of that is my fault. I was a little terror most of the time, and unfortunately, you dealt with the repercussions of my actions._

 _It wasn't fair that you got all the blame for Cordelia's incident when we were kids; it also wasn't fair that I continued to suspend my belief in your abilities, despite the fact that you'd started showing significant improvement. I'm grateful that Sofia worked as a go-between for us, showing me time and time again that you are, indeed, a wonderful sorcerer. I don't say it enough, Cedric, but thank you for all that you do._

 _Thank you for taking Sofia on as your apprentice and treating her as if she were part of your family. Thank you for catering to our sometimes-silly requests and performing without question (most of the time). Thank you for protecting us when Grimtrix attacked. Thank you for changing your mind and honoring your friendship with Sofia and your loyalty to our family. Thank you for not giving up…on yourself, on us, and on me in particular._

 _I'm going to try to mend our working relationship, and I thank you for your patience as I do. I hope this 'gift' is something you can accept. Happy Wassailia, Cedric._

 _Roland_

Cedric read and reread that letter at least three times, silence washing over him. At one point, he realized that Sofia was reading along with him. "I…"

"Wow," she murmured with a smile. "Mr. Cedric, you better frame that."

He laughed. "I just might." He looked toward Roland, who smiled and nodded at him. He returned the gesture. "I guess miracles _can_ happen after all."

Sofia giggled.

Roland cleared his throat as Miranda gazed toward him. He picked up his own gift and began unwrapping it, even as his wife watched him. "What?"

She smiled. "Don't think I don't know what you did."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I saw you writing that a few weeks ago. I'm proud of you."

Roland smiled sheepishly. "It's the least I could do…after acting so standoffish to him for so many years." He unwrapped his gift, and his smile grew larger. On a piece of fabric was a beautiful combination of the Enchancian and Avaloran flags, symbolizing their alliance together. "Oh, I know who _this_ is from." He turned directly toward the crown princess. "Thank you, Princess Elena."

Elena laughed. "I figured you would know pretty fast who your giver was… Actually, a quick story about the flag." She pointed toward it. "Some Avaloran artists made that for you. There's no other flag like it anywhere."

"Well, thank you very much. I intend to frame this when we get back to Enchancia." He smiled and carefully wrapped it again before sliding it into his bag.

She nodded. "I'm happy to hear it. Ah, my turn…" She unwrapped a small rectangular object and smiled, running her hands over a beautiful brown leather journal, her name etched into the front cover in deep red velvet. "Oh, wow…" She opened the journal and flipped through the pages, realizing quickly that it seemed to be an organizer. "This is neat!"

Baileywick glanced in her direction and smiled. "You truly like it?"

Elena laughed and smiled at him. "Baileywick, huh? Yes, I love it. With as much as I'm having to do as the crown princess now, I kind of need some organization."

"I've been telling her that these last few years," Estéban complained. "At least she's finally got _no_ reason to be unorganized at this point."

"Estéban is right. Thank you so much, Baileywick!"

The steward nodded happily. "You're welcome, Princess Elena." He then decided to open his gift, which was a new dark blue winter coat with a golden "B" embroidered on the side, over the Enchancian crest. "Now this is pure poetry in a garment. The design is amazing, and the fabric is flawless."

"Oh, good!" James grinned. "You got your gift!"

The man turned toward the prince and raised an eyebrow at him. "Prince James…? _You_ got this for me?"

"Yeah!" He nodded enthusiastically. "Actually, I told one of the seamstresses what I wanted for you, and she apparently already had your measurements for your steward outfits, so she made it pretty fast. Do you like it?"

"I couldn't have received a better gift." He smiled. "Thanks, Prince James."

"No problem!" As it was now his turn, James turned to his gift…his _huge_ gift before him. "Uh…yeah, didn't realize how big this thing was." He stood and pulled off the paper, dropping it to the ground as he looked at the strange contraption before him. "Wow! This is neat! …What is it?"

Isabel jumped up and hurried over to him. "It's an armor designing machine." She grinned as the boy gaped at her. "I invented it myself. Your notes said you liked all things knight-worthy, so after some calculations and planning, I came up with this." She gestured toward a few buttons and a lever. "Simply indicate what you'd like to see for the armor, and then pull the lever. Your armor can be designed in less than a minute."

"Whoa!" Anxious to test out his gift, James pressed a few buttons before pulling the lever, the machine whirring to life. He grinned when, after several seconds, the machine stopped its humming and produced a full suit of armor, just his size. "Now _that_ is brilliant!"

"I'm glad you think so… I had to pre-program it to match your height as closely as possible, based on what I remembered from your last visit." She smiled coyly as James blushed. "Aren't you glad I pay attention to details?"

"Uh…y-yeah! Ha, thanks, Isabel!"

She smiled and nodded before walking back over to sit next to Elena again. She noticed her sister smirking at her and waved her off. "Not a word. My turn!" She pulled some soft paper from a bag and withdrew what appeared to be a small version of her favorite baby jaquin: Mingo. "Aww, how cute! A stuffed jaquin!"

Mateo heard the girl's squeals and leaned around Elena, grinning. "It's not just cute, Isabel. Watch this." He took the toy and held it up to his face, tapping it once on the nose. "What is the weather in Avalor like today?"

The toy sat stagnant for a moment before responding, "The weather in Avalor is calm and breezy, and no precipitation is expected."

"Wow! Awesome!" Isabel laughed as he passed the toy back to her. "You are awesome, Mateo."

"I tell him that all the time," Elena added with a grin, nudging her friend.

Mateo chuckled in response as Isabel began testing out her magic jaquin. "Ah, yeah. Uh, my turn? Okay."

Sofia sat up straighter when she realized the wizard was opening the gift she got him. She crossed her fingers. "Oh, I hope he likes it…"

The brown-haired boy opened his gift and was left speechless. Before him was a leather bag obviously designed to carry his _tamborita_. It was different from his old one, as it seemed sturdier and contained authentic Avaloran symbols pressed throughout. "This is _the_ coolest gift I've gotten this year!" He grinned and did a little victory dance in his seat before looking around to see who had given it to him. His grin grew when he caught sight of Sofia giggling. "You got this, didn't you, Sofia?"

She nodded. "You like it?"

"Yes! You're the best! Thank you so much!"

The princess smiled. "You're welcome." She blinked as Calista handed her the gift with her name on it. "All right, let's see…" She tore the paper from the box and opened the lid, her blue eyes widening. She withdrew a purple, red, and gold Avaloran-style dress that still somehow seemed to echo her own personal style perfectly. She beamed. "I love this dress!"

Luisa giggled to herself as the princess looked toward her. "I'm happy you do. I designed it myself, and our seamstresses hand-stitched every single detail. And now you can say you have an Avaloran dress."

"Thank you, Mrs. Luisa. It's perfect!" She grinned and glanced at Cordelia. "Did you open yours yet, Ms. Cordelia?"

"Oh, no. I was watching everyone else." She shrugged and picked up her own bag. "Hmm, what's this?" She withdrew intricate Avaloran hair barrettes, golden with turquoise detailing ingrained. "Oh, these are lovely!"

Francisco smiled proudly. "See, Luisa? I told you she'd like them."

Cordelia gaped at him in shock. "Are you joking?" She laughed. "Ironic… You got me for the gift exchange, and I actually got you as well, sir."

The man chuckled. "Well, now. We couldn't have planned that better if we'd tried, could we?" He opened his own gift box, withdrawing a tin of fly cakes and new guitar strings. "Oh, treats and guitar strings!" He grinned toward Cordelia. "You got me spot on, young lady."

"Those aren't _just_ guitar strings. They're magical." She smiled as he gasped. "If you string them on your guitar, they can play on their own or enhance your playing even more."

"Now that's a Wassailia gift to remember!"

"Did everyone get a gift?" Armando asked as some workers began collecting the leftover wrapping.

"Not everyone, Armando," Elena announced as she nodded toward Isabel, who walked up to Armando and extended a gift to him.

"What's this?" he asked in surprise as he took the offered gift from the young princess. He opened it and smiled as he pulled out a medal with his name and title etched into it. "Aw, Princesses…"

"You deserve something for putting up with our craziness the last few years," Elena laughed. "And thank you for organizing this whole thing. It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Ah, thank you, Princess Elena." He cleared his throat as he slid the medal around his neck, the gold glimmering as it caught the light. "All right, everyone! Gifts are done. Now time to make those piñatas!"

* * *

While everyone moved to receive supplies for the upcoming activities, Sofia swiftly grabbed Cedric's hand and pulled him away from the group without a sound. When she reached the hallway, she smiled sheepishly at her mentor's quizzical look. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure we got to do _our_ gifts before we got so busy that we didn't get a chance."

Cedric gasped with a look of realization. "Oh, of course! Actually, I'll need to return to my room to get yours. And we can't exactly go back into the ballroom right now…"

"Why don't you two meet in the gazebo?"

"Good ide-a!" Cedric turned and stared at a snickering Princess Elena. "P-Princess Elena?"

"Hey, I get needing a break from everyone. You two get what you need, and I'll show you a secret way to the gazebo." She winked and urged them on.

Once Cedric retrieved Sofia's gift and Sofia got his from her own room, they followed Elena's instructions and relocated to the gazebo on the balcony overlooking the water. It was already dark outside, but the light from the moon and surrounding torches illuminated the area well enough.

"Ready?" Sofia asked as they sat down in the middle of the gazebo with their gifts.

He smiled uncertainly. "I hope so…"

To be continued…


	4. Snowy Exchange

The Magic of Wassailia

Summary: Sofia and her family, along with Cedric, Cordelia, Calista, and Baileywick, travel to Avalor to spend time with Elena and her family for Wassailia. Even though Avalor celebrates Navidad instead, the two groups find a happy medium and realize that the message is all the same: hope and love prevail.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: This is it! The last chapter of the story, and the last story post of 2017. 😊 I'm taking a break after a 24-day writing streak. Lol. I'll pick up again in January with "Umbra Inferno" and "Confined," as well as a few other new stories I'm looking at. Enjoy this last part; Merry Christmas, and if I don't talk to you in any capacity before the end of the year, Happy New Year! ~AquaTurquoise

PS: There's a mention of my original magical item (the GuardoRing) from my story "Dream Team" in here. If you haven't read/don't want to read that story, just know this ring was designed by Cedric to protect Sofia. It will be a _huge_ part of the plotline in my story "Umbra Inferno" next year. 😉 Also, I plan another crossover with these groups later next year, so you'll see more of the Avaloran group then. I have plans. :D Have a great day!

*Story*

Chapter 4: Snowy Exchange

"It's quiet out here," Sofia remarked with a calm smile as a little breeze rolled by, stirring her wavy hair and the bows that dangled from the gifts. "Sort of warm too…weird for Wassailia." She laughed softly as she noticed Cedric was about to say something. "I know… It's Navidad, and Avalor doesn't get snow. It's fine…"

Cedric noted her tone and smiled thoughtfully, withdrawing his wand and aiming it toward a cluster of clouds. " _Stiricidium_."

The clouds twisted and darkened under the magic and expanded over all of Avalor. Within mere moments, soft white flakes began descending to the earth below.

The princess stared in wonder, her eyes alight with joy as she watched the snow falling for a few minutes, no words needed. She then glanced back toward Cedric with a pleased smile. "Have I ever told you that you're _the_ best sorcerer in the world?"

He grinned. "You might have mentioned it a time or two." He noticed her beginning to shiver a bit as the atmosphere altered, the cold air starting to filter through. "We might want to start with your gift first…"

She didn't question him; she simply nodded and began opening the box he'd so carefully wrapped for her.

Cedric held his breath. This was it. This was the one gift he'd gotten her this year, and he was so nervous about her reaction. Would she think it was too simple? Would she love it? Would she question its purpose? He hated feeling so negative about something that was supposed to be joyous, but old habits really did seem to die hard for him.

Sofia delicately unwrapped the paper from within the box and gasped as her hands brushed against a soft fabric. She withdrew a familiar type of garment and unfolded it in its entirety, observing it.

She now held a new robe that she almost mistook for her usual apprentice robe; however, looking better, she realized it wasn't the same at all. While it maintained the same shade of purple, subtle pink glittering sections shimmered through the purple fabric and gave the garment a sort of magical quality to it. While the cuffs, waist tie/belt, and collar of her old apprentice robe were lighter purple, they were now the same shade as her amulet. On the left folded down collar was a dark purple cursive " _S_ " to stand in for her name.

"Mr. Cedric," she whispered in awe. "It's…"

"Don't forget the other part." He pointed at the box.

Sofia blinked and folded the robe onto her lap before withdrawing the matching apprentice hat, which echoed the same color scheme of her robe. She couldn't help giggling a bit when she looked inside the hat at the brim and read the gold stitching inside: "Property of Sofia, the Apprentice of Cedric the Sensational." Obviously, that would stay hidden unless she lost it, and someone located it for her.

"There's a bit more to it," he admitted.

" _More_?" Sofia asked in surprise. "What else could you have done to it?"

"Try it on and I'll show you." He stood and pulled her to her feet, taking the robe and holding it out for her.

Sofia turned and slipped into the new robe, which felt very soft and _warm_. It surprised her, especially since it had been exposed to the night air and the snowy weather for a while now. She fastened the robe together and tied it with the pink sash. She settled her new hat over her tiara and adjusted her collar to where the " _S_ " would show.

"Watch this." Cedric aimed his wand toward her and cast a simple attack spell. He smiled in satisfaction as the fabric vanquished the magic. "It has been designed to work as something of a shield for you, a protective barrier if you will; it can defend against any external forces, including harsh chemicals and dark magic. Also, it can be warm or cold, depending on your body temperature."

Her mouth dropped open a bit. _That_ explained a few things.

"And…I've had it adjusted to where this robe can actually enhance the powers of any magical item you use: your amulet, your wand, your GuardoRing…"

Sofia glanced down at her wrist where her Enchantlet lay, and then she noticed him looking at it as well. She blinked and subtly tucked her arm behind her back before smiling at him. "Mr. Cedric, this is probably _the_ best gift you could have given me. I…" She laughed. "I was not expecting it at all."

Cedric returned her smile. "I wish only to keep you as safe and protected as possible. You know that. Plus, if there was ever any doubt before, there is now certainly no denying that you are, indeed, _my_ apprentice." He chuckled as she hugged him appreciatively before kneeling to her height to reciprocate. "I hope you like it."

"I love it," she assured him, her hold on him only tightening instead of loosening for once. "Thank you for caring about me so much."

The sorcerer could have sworn he heard something like an emotional undertone in her voice, but he disregarded it, assuming it was just happiness. He caressed her back a few times before she finally let him go. He frowned. "Sofia, why are you crying?"

She looked down, embarrassment evident as her face flushed.

Cedric took her face in his hands and wiped away her tears. "My dear, what is wrong?"

"It's just… Heh…" She smiled despite her state. "Those first few years when I wanted your attention so badly, and you kind of just brushed me off sometimes—not that I'm upset about it, so don't worry." She noticed he'd resisted correcting her and nodded instead. "All I ever wanted was to learn magic, and you taught me. Now you entrust me with something like this. And yes, I've been your apprentice a few years now, but now, it feels…" She grasped his hands and lowered them, holding them gently. "It feels like this is…a new chapter, I guess? Now we're working _together_ instead of you just teaching and me just following."

"Absolutely," Cedric agreed with a nod. "You've far surpassed any expectations I ever had. I knew you could manage many things, but you're a lot stronger than I ever expected you to be, Sofia. You _deserve_ this, and if I can keep you safe and protected as you go out and face the world full of uncertainty and danger, I'm going to do it."

She giggled. "You're my protector, aren't you?" Her eyes twinkled at the mention of the word, like a secret only she understood yet hoped he would eventually understand.

"I suppose, though I think it's safe to say you've protected me far more than I have ever protected you. You've changed me, Sofia, and I couldn't be more appreciative." He had no choice but to release her hands as she once again hugged him, a content sigh escaping from her. "Sofia?"

"Thank you, Mr. Cedric…thank you." After a few minutes of just hugging him and feeling happy and safe again, she released him and laughed. "Oh, wait, I still need to give you your gift…" She smiled sheepishly. "It's not nearly as amazing as yours though."

"I'll be the judge of that," he teased as she sat down next to him, tugging his gift in front of him. He undid some bows and loosened the gift wrapping before opening the box, withdrawing what appeared to be a near-perfect replica of his tower. It was made of some smooth material he couldn't identify. He looked toward the base of the tower replica and smiled, reading the words etched into it: _I'll always believe in you, Mr. Cedric. Love, Sofia_. "Oh, Sofia…"

"Wait, watch this." She reached over and twisted a small silver handle he'd somehow missed. She winded it up a few times before letting it go.

Upbeat instrumental music, clearly of music box quality, played as the tower suddenly split open on a mechanism, the interior shown at last. Cedric was in awe of the detailing. It truly did look as if he were looking at his actual workshop interior. She'd gotten every detail down to Wormwood sitting on his perch and each individual window and book. Of course, he had to smile as he noticed small forms of himself and Sofia both actively in the middle of a "lesson" with their wands raised.

Cedric stared at each detail for a long time, taking everything in. When the music stopped, it was like he broke from a trance. He gently closed the tower music box and looked toward his friend. "You're incredible."

Sofia smiled shyly at his compliment. "I just wanted you to have the best Wassailia gift I could find…or make."

" _You_ made this?" He smiled as she nodded. "How… How long were you working on it?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Since _last_ Wassailia. I did get some help from Ms. Flora actually. She's the one who added the music to it."

"You have been designing this an entire year? For me?" He looked at her in wonder. "Why? Why me?"

"Why _not_ you? You're my best friend, Mr. Cedric."

Cedric laughed once before initiating a hug of his own, smiling as she giggled. "Sofia, my dear, _you_ are the best."

"Um, guys?"

The friends separated and turned to see Mateo standing behind them, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Sorry to interrupt, but…well, the entire kingdom pretty much noticed it was snowing…" He grinned as Cedric attempted to feign innocence and seemed to be failing miserably. "And for some reason, instead of questioning it, they've begun a snowman building competition. Want to join?"

"Sure!" Sofia jumped up, holding out her hands to Cedric. "We'll be on a team together, because we're better together. Right, Mr. Cedric?"

He smiled and stood with her help. "Right you are, Sofia."

The evening couldn't have gone better. The groups ate supper together and actually played in the snow, which was new for the Avaloran crew. However, they had a wonderful time. It ended with everyone gathered around a makeshift bonfire, where Francisco led them all in several rounds of carols and folklore tales, and also where they'd all shared some hot cocoa in honor of the randomly welcome change of weather.

Eventually, Cedric was surprised to find that Sofia had fallen asleep and was leaning against his shoulder now. He took one glance at Roland and noticed that he was smiling gently for a change. He was still getting used to Roland's demeanor change around him.

"She must be exhausted," the king noted.

Elena smiled. "I can help Cedric get her to bed if you'd like, King Roland." She nodded as he gave her an affirmative response. She stood and walked toward the two friends, gently picking up the sleeping girl and gesturing toward her palace with a nod of her head, urging Cedric to follow her.

He did so, though not without a massive rush of curiosity.

Once they were out of earshot from the others, Elena glanced at the sorcerer. "I just want you to know I'm proud of you."

"I beg your pardon?"

She laughed softly. "I've seen the changes in you, Cedric. You're definitely not the same sorcerer I watched from inside her amulet. You're so different now… Sofia must be very proud of you too."

He blushed a bit, unused to the compliments. "Well, I… Thank you, Princess Elena."

"Do me a favor, would you?" She walked inside the palace as some of the guards opened the doors for them. "Can you keep an eye on her and make sure she stays safe? Since I can't be around to look after her anymore, and since I'm still getting used to that after the year and a half I've been free, I worry about her."

"You needn't worry, Princess. I'll protect her with my life if I have to."

Elena smiled as they reached the door to the royal children's room. She then passed the sleeping girl over to him, much to his surprise. "I had a feeling you would say that." She opened the door and walked inside, heading toward a royal purple bed and drawing back the covers. After Cedric gently placed the younger princess in the bed, she pulled the covers up to her chin and removed her hat and tiara, placing them aside. She turned and placed one hand on Cedric's shoulder, another smile aimed his way, before she left.

Cedric glanced down at Sofia's sleeping form and smiled. "Sleep well, my dear." Before he could turn to leave, he recalled something she'd told him back in Enchancia…

" _ **I guess the best Wassailia would be spent with family and friends, snow falling outside, having cocoa by the fire, and telling stories before going to bed under the stars somehow…"**_

Well, she'd had her snow, her family and friends, her cocoa, her stories… Cedric raised his wand to the ceiling. " _Laquearia stellas_." He smiled thoughtfully as the ceiling suddenly darkened and became a blanket of stars, little pinpoints of light twinkling every now and again. "Now you have all of your wishes, Sofia…" He gently brushed one hand through her hair as she slept and smiled. "Happy Wassailia." With that, he left the room as the night continued.

The best part about _this_ Wassailia/Navidad was that, like Sofia had wished, it didn't fully end the day after. Oh, no. There were still many escapades Elena had planned so they could really get to know and understand Avalor. There were still games to be played. There were still songs to sing and friends to make.

So, that was that. Wassailia and Navidad may have ended, but that didn't mean the magic and excitement associated with it had. In fact, as far as they were concerned, their adventures had only just begun.

The end


End file.
